Insulating swimming pool cover



1968 R. Y. POWLAN INSULATING SWIMMING POOL COVER Filed July 5, 1966 nna Z z a 3 .I i a z z z 2 I a 2 2 z 1 IV 1 r I INVENTOR. [80) K POM LAN m; am 615 ATMKNEVS United States Patent 3,418,667 INSULATING SWIMMING POOL COVER Roy Y. Powlan, 1 Chapel Drive, Lafayette, Calif. 94549 Filed July 5, 1966, Ser. No. 562,832 6 Claims. (Cl. 4-172) This invention relates to an insulating swimming pool cover and more particularly to a novel means for placement of such a cover on the surface of the pool.

In many portions of the United States there is a relatively short Warm weather swimming season. In many other areas in addition to the short season, there is the problem of the large temperature gradient between daytime and nighttime hours. Because of this it is frequently necessary to install water heaters of various types as part of the swimming pool equipment. The purpose of these heaters is to maintain the temperature of the Water in the pool at comfortable swimming levels. The cost of maintaining such heaters can involve a considerable expense to the owner or operator of the pool.

In addition, swimming pools require frequent applications of costly chemical purifiers. These purifiers are generally applied in the form of certain chlorine salts which are designed to hold the bacteria count at a safe level and algicides to limit the growth of algae and fungus on the pool surfaces. The efliciency and active chemical potential of these purifiers is partially dependent on the amount of use to which the pool is put. But when not in use, the most important consideration is the effect of sunlight on these chlorine salts. Sunlight causes decomposition of the chlorine salts to free chlorine with a consequent depletion of their bactericidal effect.

The present invention provides relatively inexpensive means for quickly covering the surface of a swimming pool when not in use. The cover is composed of materials which act to prevent radiation of heat from the surface of the water and at the same time serve as a sun shield preventing the premature depletion of the active chemical bactericides. The cover also serves as a collector for dirt, leaves and other debris, thus reducing the over-all cost of pool maintenance and improving the cleanliness of the water.

Because of the unique arrangement of the cover, it is possible to place it on the surface of the pool in a matter of a few moments and to retract it from the surface of the water quickly and conveniently.

One object of the invention is to provide a pool cover which serves as an insulating medium preventing the loss of heat from the pool when it is not in service.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cover which prevents the depletion of chemical bactericides and fungicides by the action of sunlight.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for rapidly and conveniently withdrawing a cover from the surface of a swimming pool when the pool is to be used.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cover that can be designed for and utilized on circular or oddshaped swimming pools.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a cover which serves as a collector for dirt, leaves, stones and other debris.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon reviewing the following description and the accompanying drawings.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view illustrating the application of an insulating pool cover made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention and showing the cover in a partially extended position on a rectangular swimming pool.

"Ice

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing the cover in the process of being extended and showing the means for placing, removing and storing the cover when not in service.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, partially in cross-section, showing the cover removing means and the mechanism for raising and lowering the cover from and to-the surface of the pool.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a swimming pool 10 of rectangular configuration. It will be obvious that the following description of the invention is equally applicable to pools in other shapes. Through the proper shaping of the insulating cover, irregular, circular or odd-shaped pools may also be covered. As shown in the drawing, the swimming pool cover comprises a plurality of rectangular slabs 12, 12 that are formed from a material which will float on the surface of the pool. Preferably the slabs 12, 12 are formed from polystyrene foam. Each slab is separate from its adjacent slab but is connected thereto in any suitable manner which will permit the slabs to be removed from and deposited upon the surface of the pool in an individual manner. In the preferred form of the invention shown in the drawings each slab 12 is provided with an eyelet 18 at the midpoint of each of the short ends of the slab and these eyelets 18, 18 are connected to similarly mounted eyelets on adjacent slabs by tapes or rope 20, 20 or some other similar fastenmg.

As will thus be seen by reference to FIG. 3, the upper edge portions 13, 13 of each slab 12 incline inwardly and downwardly to a flat central section 14. In this way a depressed recess is formed in the upper surface of each slab to form a receptacle for the collection of leaves, dirt and other debris which would otherwise fall into the pool.

The slabs 12, 12 which make up the pool cover are automatically deposited upon and removed from the surface of the pool by automatic means positioned adjacent one end of the pool. These means comprise a series of tines 24, 24 that are mounted on vertically movable rack devices 22, 22. In the form of the invention shown in the drawings, four such rack devices are shown. The tines 24, 24 are integrally formed on the racks 22, 22 one above the other, there being one more tine on each rack than there are slabs forming the pool cover. Each rack 22 moves relative to a guide member or bracket 40, 40. The guide members or brackets 40, 40 are fixed to a crossbar 41 mounted at the ends of a plurality of arms 43, 43. The arms 43, 43, in turn, are connected to a shaft 45 rotatably mounted in journals 47, 47 fixed to the adjacent pool surface. A tWo-directional motor 32 is connected to the shaft 45 through a suitable gear mechanism 34 so that the shaft 45, the arms 43, 43 and racks 22, 22 may be pivoted through an arc of A second two-directional motor 26 is mounted centrally of the rack mechanism. The motor 26 serves to actuate the racks 22, 22 vertically of the supporting guides or brackets 40, 40 through a suitable gear train 30, 31 and a driving shaft 33 on which there are mounted driving gears 28, 28 that intermesh with the gear teeth on the racks 22, 22 through suitable openings 29, 29 in the guide members 40, 40. Mounted on one of the guide members or brackets 40, 40 is a pressure actuated contact switching relay 44. A contact button 42 projects outwardly from the relay 44 adjacent the surface of the pool so as to be engageable by the slabs 12, 12 making up the cover.

Operation of the pool cover is as follows:

Removal of the slabs 12, 12 from the pool 10 is initiated by the user first turning on a switch found on drive motor 26. Pressure is then applied at the far end of the pool on a large eyelet 16 fixed in the edge of the farthermost slab 12. This may be done by using a rod or shaft or any other convenient device containing a hook for accurately and firmly grasping the eye 16. The pressure so transmitted through the slabs 12, 12 causes the nearest slab to impinge upon the contact button 42 on the switching relay 44 mounted on bracket 40. This causes drive motor 26 to rotate the operating shaft 33 and gears 28, 28. The racks 22, 22 are moved upwardly and tines 24, 24 pick up the nearest slab 12. There is a time delay provided in the relay 44 so that the drive motor 26 moves the racks 22, 22 a sufficient distance to bring the next lower set of tines 24, 24 into position before the motor stops. As the user applies additional pressure at the eyelet 16, the next slab 12 is pushed onto the surface of the tines 24, 24 until contact is made against contact button 42. This again actuates the switching relay 44 mounted on bracket 40 and raises the racks 22, 22 one tine further out of the water. Each successive slab is then removed from the water until the racks 22, 22 with tines 24, 24 have been filled and all slabs 12, 12 removed from the surface of the pool.

The racks 22, 22 containing all the slabs 12, 12 are then pivoted through an arc of 180 by means of motor 32 and gear assembly 34. It is obvious that, if desired, the entire mechanism could be mounted on rollers or, as shown in FIG. 2, may be arranged to disappear automatically into an underground storage pit 38 and be covered with a door 36, thus completely eliminating above ground surface storage of the cover and rack mechanism. Although the cover and rack mechanism as shown in FIG. 2 are positioned slightly above ground level, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that this entire mechanism may be so designed as to be essentially level with the surface area surrounding the pool.

When the pool is no longer in use, the cover is placed on the surface of the pool by reversing the above-described process.

As has been previously noted, the tops of slabs 12, 12 can be designed with an inwardly and downwardly inclined rectangular depression 14 permitting the capture of dirt and debris falling on the pool when covered. This rack may then be hosed off or cleaned in any conventional manner when the rack has been removed from the surface of the pool. It is clear that the surface design as shown is only one of many possible designs that can be impressed upon the surface of the insulating cover, depending upon the intention of the user.

What is claimed is:

1. A pool cover comprising a plurality of floatable slabs serially connected to one another, a plurality of tine members mounted in at least one rack at one wall of the pool, said tine members being movable in the rack through the plane of the surface of the pool for seriatim engagement with said slabs, means on the rack for moving said tine members through the plane of the surface of the pool, and means adjacent to the pool for removing said rack tines and slabs from said one Wall of the pool.

2. A pool cover as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slabs are formed from a thermal insulating material.

3. A pool cover as set forth in claim 1 wherein said insulating slabs are formed of polystyrene foam.

4. A pool cover as set forth in claim 1 having automatic means for raising and lowering said rack and mounted tine members, said means acting to raise each set of tines a suflicient distance through the plane of the surface of the pool to bring the next lower set of tines into a slabengaging position, said means being actuated by a pres.- sure contact upon engagement by the slabs.

5. A pool cover as set forth in claim 4 wherein said slabs are provided with depressions in their upper surfaces to collect debris.

6. A pool cover as set forth in claim 4 having means for retracting said rack tines and slabs into a storage recess adjacent to said one wall of the pool.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,958,083 11/1960 Shook et a1 4172 3,144,665 8/1964 Meyer 4172 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,231,409 12/ 1966 Germany.

1,236,163 3/ 1967 Germany.

1,236,164 3/1967 Germany.

SAMUEL ROTHBERG, Primary Examiner.

HENRY K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A POOL COVER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF FLOATABLE SLABS SERIALLY CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER, A PLURALITY OF TINE MEMBERS MOUNTED IN AT LEAST RACK AT ONE WALL OF THE POOL, SAID TINE MEMBERS BEING MOVABLE IN THE RACK THROUGH THE PLANE OF THE SURFACE OF THE POOL FOR SERIATIM ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SLABS, MEANS ON THE RACK FOR MOVING SAID TINE 